Lesson Plan

Kyrie Purdy and Thuy Pham

Title of Lesson: Benjamin Franklin -Young Apprentice

Content: Social Studies/English Language Arts

Time: 30-35 minutes

ALCOS or Common Core Standard/Objectives:

o ALCOS-SS.5.5 Identify influential leaders in colonial society.
o ALCOS-RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from text.
o ALCOS-RI.5.3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more
individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical texted based
on specific information in the text.

Learning Objectives:
o The students will be able to establish meaning.
o The students will be able to relate and compare connections from the text to personal
experiences in their own lives.
o The students will be able to apply prior knowledge to gain understanding.
o The students will be able to summarize main ideas and details.

Anticipatory Set: Have students think about their future goals for the ages 12, 17, and 19 and
have them list and describe them on a worksheet.

Procedures:
o Teacher 1: The first thing we are going to do today is complete this worksheet.
o Teacher 1: Hold up worksheet to show the class
o Teacher 2: The first section on your worksheet is where I want you to list or describe
your future main goals for when you are 12 years old. When I was 12, I was already in 6th
grade. I did chores and fed my pets at home to earn an allowance and that was the year I
got my first cell phone. Try to think of three goals if you can. Tell me what you want to
be doing or what you want to be accomplishing when you reach age 12.
o Teacher 1: For the next section, I want you to do the same thing but for when you are 17.
Think about what you want to be doing or accomplishing by the time you are 17 just like
you did for the one above. When I was 17
o Teacher 2: And for the last section, I want you to do the same for age 19. I know when I
was 19, I was already in college and I had my own apartment and I had a job and I paid
my own bills! Really think about what your dreams or goals are for the future and what
you aim to be doing when youre 12, 17, and 19.
o Teacher 1: Give worksheets to Derrick to pass out to all of the students.
o Student: Pass out worksheets to all students.

o Teacher 2: You will have about 5 minutes to complete this worksheet. Does anyone have
any questions?
o Teacher 1 and 2: Walk around the classroom and monitor the students progress on their
worksheets while answering any questions they have.
o Teacher 1: If everyone is finished, please open your Social Studies books to page 101.
o Teacher 2: We are going to be talking about Benjamin Franklin today and why he was so
important.
o Teacher 1: We will take turns reading so we will ask some of you to read as we all follow
along together. If you have any questions while we go along, keep them in mind and we
will discuss them.
o Teacher 2: Kayla, will you start us off by reading the first paragraph.
o Student: Read paragraph out loud to the class.
o Teacher 1: After reading this first paragraph, what was the most important idea about
Benjamin Franklin?
o Students: Answer Question
o Teacher 2: What are some jobs Benjamin Franklin did?
o Students: Answer question
o Teacher 1 and 2: Elaborate on answers and explain as we list them on the board.
o Teacher 1: Think about your writing lesson with Ms. Heather about why we write How
could being a printer and writer, like Benjamin Franklin was, help shape the ideas of
American Colonists?
o Teacher 2: Does anyone know what bifocals are?
o Teacher 1: Lets break this word down. Bi-focal (focus)
o Teacher 2: What does being a civic leader mean?
o Teacher 1: Jackie, can you read the next paragraph for us?
o Student: Reads aloud for all others to follow along.
o Teacher 2: With 16 brothers and sisters how do you think Bens father was able to make
enough money to support his family? Were candles important? Why?
o Teacher 1: What is a trade?
o Students: Answer Question
o Teacher 2: Danielle, will you read the next paragraph?
o Student: Reads aloud for others to follow along.
o Teacher 1: Does anyone want to share their goals for when they are 12? What do you
think you will be doing when you are 12?
o Students: Answer Questions
o Teacher 2: What was Benjamin Franklin doing when he was 12?
o Teacher 1: What is an apprenticeship?
o Students: Answer Questions
o Teacher 2: Kate, will you read the next paragraph?
o Student: Reads aloud for others to follow along.
o Teacher 1: Why was printing so important during this time? Is it still important today?
Why?
o Teacher 2: How did printing have an impact on early American Colonists?

o Teacher 1: If you were to go learn a trade and start on an apprenticeship next year when
you were 12, what would you want to learn to do? In other words, what do you want to
do when you grow up or are you still not sure?
o Teacher 2: For those of you who arent sure, do you think you would know by next year?
o Teacher 1: Donna, will you read the next paragraph?
o Teacher 2: Why do you think the work was hard and the hours were long for Ben as a
printer?
o Teacher 1: Will you read the next paragraph?
o Student: Read aloud
o Teacher 2: Why was writing so important and do you think it still is today?
o Teacher 1: What is a pen name? Why do you think Ben used a pen name?
o Student: Answer question
o Teacher 2: Stella, can you read the next paragraph?
o Student: Read aloud
o Teacher 1: Why do you think Ben decided he was done with his apprenticeship at only
17?
o Teacher 2: Would anyone like to share what their main goals are for when they are 17?
What do you think you will be doing or where youll be going when youre 17?
o Teacher 1: What was Ben doing when he was 17? Where was he going? Why? Would
you have done the same if you were him?
o Student: Answer question
o Teacher 2: Tyler, can you read the next paragraph?
o Student: Read aloud
o Teacher 1: When Benjamin Franklin was 19, he was supposed to be finishing up his
apprenticeship with his brother. He was going to just be getting ready to start his career
as a printer, but instead he was already moving on to New York and Philadelphia and
starting work in a local printing shop.
o Teacher 2: Lets hear what some of your key goals are for when youre 19, and if you can
think of any Share some beyond that age too.
o Teacher 1: David, will you read the last paragraph please?
o Student: Read aloud.
o Teacher 2: What allowed Ben Franklin to be so successful after leaving his brother and
his apprenticeship in Boston?
o Teacher 1: Why do you think he became famous for his writing in the Poor Richards
Almanack? What is an Almanac?
o Students: Answer questions and share.
Accommodations:
o The seven strategies for ELL students.
Review/Closure:
o Teacher 1: Why do you think printing and writing were so important to him?
o Teacher 2: Why do you think he became of the spirit of American Colonists?
o Teacher 1: In what ways do the events that were going on in Benjamin Franklins life
relate to your life? Was his life similar to yours at all?
o Students: Answer and share; discuss similarities about Ben Franklin as a whole class.

Assessment:
o Using the Makes Sense Strategies graphic organizer, students will be able to compare and
relate the differences and similarities between personal experiences in their individual
lives and Benjamin Franklins experiences.